Shutter-hinge latch.



J. BVWRIGHT & F. 0. LAWSON.

. SHUTTER HINGE LATCH. APPLICATION FILED DEG.11, I912.

1,077,780. S Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

onrrno STATESPATENT onnion JOHN B. WRIGHT AND FRANS O. LAWSON, OF GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, AS-

SIGNORS TO WRIGHT HINGE & LOOK (30., OF GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, A

CORPORATION OF NORTH CAROLINA.

SHUTTER-HINGE LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4:, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN B. W IGHT and FRANS O. Lawson, citizens of Greensboro, in the county of Guilford and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shutter-Hinge Latches, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention is an improvement in shutter hinge latches, and has for its object the provision of mechanism in connection with the hinge of a shutter for holding the shutter locked in open position, and so arranged that while the latch may be disengaged manually, it will also be disengaged by the act of lifting the shutter prior to closing the same, that is, a latch so arranged that it may be released by relative movement of the leaves of the hinge with respect to each other.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a shutter having hinges provided with the improved latch, showing the shutter closed, Fig. 2 is a similar view of one hinge with the shutter open, Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views of the hinge leaves and the latch respectively, Fig. 6 is a front view of the hinge with the shutter open, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of hinge and latch.

The present embodiment of the invention is shown applied to the lower hinge of a shutter 1, the said shutter being adapted to fit within a window casing 2, and the improved latch is shown applied to the lower hinge.

The upper hinge 3 may be of any desired construction, since it forms no part of the present invention.

The lower hinge is composed of leaves 10 and 11, both having openings 12 for receiving screws 13, whereby the said leaves may be attached to the shutter and the casement respectively and the leaf 10 is provided at one side edge with lateral extensions 14, one at each edge of the said side edge. The free end of each extension is beveled as shown at 15, to form a cam for a purpose to be presently described, and each of the said extensions has a catch at the inner end of the beveled portion in the form of a shoulder 16, the said shoulder 16 being formed by enlarging the extension at the outer side edge.

At the opposite side edge the leaf 10 is provided with a laterally extending flange or stem 17, having at its outer end a cross head 18 and the said edge is also provided with a lateral lug 19 at each side of the stem or flange 17. At each end of the cross head 18, an outwardly extending lug 20 is provided, and the said cross head is rounded at each end on the inner side as shown at 21. The hinge leaf is also cut away at the sides of the stem or flange 17 as indicated at 22 between the said stem and the lugs 19.

The leaf 11 is provided at its lower edge with a lateral flange 23, the said flange extending beyond the side edges of the leaf and having an opening 24 at each end. I The flange is also notched or recessed at each end as shown at 25, and at the upper end of the leaf, a pair of bearing lugs 26 are provided, thefsaid lugs extending upwardly above the lea Each of the lugs is bent outwardly or grooved on its inner face as shown at 27 and the leaf is provided with a lateral and outwardly extending substantially triangular lug 28 between the lugs 26.

lVhen the leaf 11 is secured to the casing 2 as shown in Fig. 1, the free ends of the lugs 26 bear against the face of the casing, and the grooves 27 of the said lugs are adapted to hold the latch plate 29, shown in Fig. 5. The said plate is provided near each end with an opening 30, the said open ings being adjacent to the rear edge of the latch plate, and near its front edge the said latch plate is provided at one end'with another opening 31, each of the said openings 30 and 31 being approximately of segmental shape, and the openings 30 and 31 are oppositely arranged.

The openings 30 are for receiving the bearing lugs 26 as shown in Fig. 1, and the opening 31 is adapted to engage the shoulder 16 of the uppermost extension 14, to lock the shutter in open position. The lug 28 is a stop or rest for the latch plate to hold the said latch plate in approximately horizontal position and in such position that when the shutter is opened, the beveled end 15 of the uppermost extension 14 will engage and lift the latch plate to permit the plate to override the shoulder 16, and to permit the said shoulder to engage the opening 31 of the latch plate.

It will be noticed that the hinge leaves 10 and 11 as also the latch plate 29, are all stamped or out from sheet material, and afterward bent to shape. The hinge leaves are reversible, being capable of use at either side of the shutter.

lVhen the improved hinges are in use, the shutter cannot be disengaged from the casement, that is, the leaf 10 cannot be disengaged from the leaf 11 respectively, except when the shutter occupies a predetermined position with respect to the easement. It will be noticed that the space between the free end of the lug 19 and the inner adjacent edge of the cross head 18 is less than the width between either opening 24 and the adjacent end of the flange 23. The notches 25 are provided for permitting the entrance of the cross head end into the opening 24. To introduce the end of the cross head, the lug 19 must register with the adjacent notch 25, and'the lugs 20 also assist in preventing disengagement of the cross head. After the lug 19 has passed above the notch 25, the lug 20 constrains the hinge leaf 10, to move laterally before the cross head may be disengaged from the opening 24. i

In use, when the shutter is opened, the

beveled end of the uppermost extension 14 will engage and lift the latch plate 29. As soon as the shoulder 16 registers with the opening 31, the latch plate will drop over the said shoulder, thus locking the shutter in open position as shown in Fig. 2. lVhen now it is desired to close the shutter, the latch plate 29 must be swung upward, and this may be done with the finger engaging the end of the latch plate most accessible, that is, the end remote from the opening 31. A simple flipping upward of the said latch plate will release the shoulder and'the shutter may be swung shut.

As is well known, shutter hinges have been arranged for a long period of time, in such manner that it is necessary to slightly lift the shutter, before it can be closed. This act of lifting has become a habit and the present latch is so arranged that the lifting of the shutter, that is, the movement of the leaves 10 and 11 with respect to each other will release the latch plate. When the shutter is lifted slightly the upper end of the cross head 18 will engage that endof the underface of the latch plate remote from the opening 31 and will swing the said latch plate upward to release the shoulder 16 from the opening 3 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. A slight movement of the shutter is necessary, and at the time the latch plate is engaged with the shoulder 16, the lug 19 is out of register with the notch 25, so that the shutter cannot be lifted from its hinges as is the case in the ordinary form of shutter. The latch plate is also reversible, and when the leaf 10 is used on the opposite side of the leaf 11 from the position shown in Fig. 1, the latch plate is merely reversed, to bring the opening 31 at the opposite end of the plate from the leaf 10. The hinges ust described, are adapted to be placed on the outer faces of the window and casement respectively, and no mortising or the like is required in placing the hinges. It issometimes desirable however to arrange the hinge leaves between the edge of the shutter and the casement instead of on the outer faces thereof. On this account the construction shown in Fig. 7 is provided.

In the construction shown in Fig. 7, a cast hinge i shown, the said hinge consist ing of the leaves 32 and 33, each of which has openings 34 for receiving screws to se cure the leaf in place. The leaf 82 is provided at its inner edge with a journal pin the upper end of which is reduced as shown at 36, to form an annular rib or (:01- lar 37 between the said reduced portion and the lower end of the pin. The leaf 33 has a bearing lug 38 for engaging the journal :pin and the leaf 32 has a lug 39 extending toward the journal pin, the space between the said latch and the pin being less than the thickness of the bearing 38. The said bearing is notched as shown at 40 to permit the bearing to be placed on the journal pin, the notch receiving the lug 39 to permit the passage of the bearing. A latch 41 is provided with a central bearing 42 for engaging the journal pin and one end of the latch 'is forked as shown at 43 to engage opposite sides of the leaf 33. The opposite end of the latch is provided with a head 44, for

engaging the outer face of the leaf 32 to lock the leaves in alinement, that is, with the shutter open.

The head is extended outwardly as shown at 45 to form a finger piece for lifting the latch when desired. just above the position occupied by the fork It will be noted that 43 when the leaves are looked in open position, the leaf is cut away as shown at 46, so that when the latch is lifted high enough the fork 43 will be released from the edge of the leaf In operation, the latch may be lifted manually, by grasping the finger piece 45 and moving the latch upwardly until the fork 43 is in register with the cut away portion 47 of the leaf 32. When in this position, the head 44 swings by the leaf 32 freely and the leaves may be closed flat upon each other. This is the position occupied by the leaves when the shutter is in closed position. NVith the parts in the position shown in Fig. 7, it will be obvious that when the leaf 33 is moved outwardly with respect to the leaf 32, the latch ll will also be lifted and the head 44211136 thus be released from the leaf 32.

We claim 1. A shutter hinge and latch, the hinge consisting of two leaves, one leaf having a lateral extension at each end of one side edge, each of the said extensions having its free end beveled toward the adjacent end of the leaf, and each extension having a shoulder at the inner end of the beveled portion, said leaf having at the opposite side edge a lateral flange provided with a crosshead extending vertically when the leaf is in place, the other leaf of the hinge having at its lower edge a lateral flange provided at each end with an opening for receiving one end of the crosshead of the other leaf, said last mentioned leaf havingapair of upwardly extending bearing lugs at its upper edge, said lugs being grooved tranversely on their inner faces, a latch plate having openings for permitting the passage of the bearing lugs, said plate having an opening at one end for receiving the shoulder of the uppermost lateral extension of the other leaf, the other end of the latch plate being in position for engagement by the upper end of the crosshead to lift the latch plate to release the shoulder when the first named leaf is lifted, said last named leaf having means for normally supporting the latch plate in horizontal position.

2. A shutter hinge and latch, the hinge consisting of two leaves, one leaf having a lateral extension at each end of one side edge, each of the said extensions having its free end beveled toward the adjacent end of the leaf, and each extension having a shoulder at the inner end of the beveled portion, said leaf having at the opposite side edge a lateral flange provided with a crosshead extending vertically when the leaf is in place, the other leaf of the hinge having at its lower edge a lateral flange provided at each end with an opening for receiving one end of the crosshead of the other leaf a latch plate hinged to said last named leaf near the upper edge thereof and having an opening at one end for receiving the shoulder of the uppermost lateral extension of the other leaf, the upper end of the crosshead engaging the opposite end of the latch plate from the opening to lift the said latch plate out of engagement with the shoulder when the shutter is lifted.

3. A shutter hinge and latch consisting of two leaves hinged together at one side edge, a latch plate hinged to one leaf near the upper edge thereof and extending transversely of the said leaf, said leaf having means for normally supporting the latch plate in approximately horizontal position, said latch plate having an opening at the end remote from the other leaf, said other leaf having at the end remote from the first named leaf a beveled surface for lifting the latch plate when the last named leaf is swung into approximate parallelism with the first named leaf and having a shoulder at the inner end of the beveled surface for engaging the opening of the latch plate to lock the leaves in approximate parallelism, thelast named leaf having means for engaging and lifting the latch to release the shoulder when said leaf is moved upwardly with respect to the first leaf.

4;. A detachable shutter hinge comprising leaves hinged together at one side edge, a latch plate hinged to one leaf and having an opening, the other leaf having a catch for engaging the opening to hold the leaves in approximate parallelism, said other leaf having a cam for lifting the latch plate to permit the catch to engage the opening, and having means for lifting the latch to release the catch when the said last named leaf is moved upwardly with respect to the first named leaf.

5. A shutter hinge comprising a plurality of leaves hinged together, one of the said leaves being adapted to be secured to a shutter and the other to a casement, a latch in connection with the said leaves for locking the leaves with the shutter in opened position, the shutter leaf having means for releasing the latch when the said leaf is lifted with respect to the easement leaf.

6. A hinge of the character specified, comprising a plurality of leaves movable vertically with respect to each other, a latch in connection with the leaves for locking the leaves in a predetermined position, said latch being movable vertically with one of the leaves to release the said latch.

JOHN B. WRIGHT. FRANS O. LAWSON. W'itnesses:

R. M. PHILLIPS, G. G. WRIGHT.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

